Dear Family and Friends,
This week, I finally got my room painted and decorated, and I love it! As you’ll see in the pictures, it’s very blue – such a happy shade. I smile every time I go into it. Christophe did an excellent job. He painted my bedroom and bathroom, and because we had extra paint (and I love color), we painted the kitchen. We plan to finish painting this week. Every other wall will be freshened up with a crisp, true white. It’s so nice to have my books and pictures, clothes and bed. It feels like a little slice of home. Enjoy the tour via photos.
Friday, I took the day off work and unpacked all my stuff. Saturday, we switched storage depots and organized our porch area. It’s amazing how much you can accomplish in two days with some Reinhard muscle behind you! A tech team arrived on Thursday (Bill Rager, Trout and Drake Moser, and Shane Shaw); we worshipped with them in Boval at Pastor Balade’s church. After church, Sheila and I decided to make homemade pizza. While we waited for the dough to rise, we took a drive with the team to Tet Simon. It is a beautiful pasture area with a pond that springs from an underground well. After enjoying the views, we headed home to make our pizza. We invited the Reinhard girls, Beth Newton, and Shane (who was fixing my computer) to join us for supper. I believe our first dinner party was success!
It’s been a good week. Thanks for your prayers. Oh, we also enjoyed our second encounter with a tarantula. This one was on our laundry porch, and yes, I sat on the washer with my feet up while we shooed it outside. I’m such a girl...
Have a wonderful week!
http://picasaweb.google.com/aheartforhaiti/Sept2008III
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Sunday, September 14, 2008
The Paralytic and Port Salute
My days are finally starting to resemble a shaky routine of sorts. We didn’t have a tropical storm or hurricane or riot this week, so I was able to really dig into my job at the Childcare office. I have my Creole lesson with Jean Claude from 7 to 8 in the morning. Then, I head off to work. The office staff gathers for devotions from 8 to 8:30. I’ve been taking my lunch break around 12:30. I walk back home (about 300 steps) and see what Madame Marie has prepared. I head back to the office around 1:30 and work until 4. The evenings have been a mixture of activities – studying Creole, reading, catching up on emails, calling family and friends, church, tea parties, or games.
This week, I finally managed to remember to take pictures of our weekly tea party. (I ate three oatmeal and raisin cookies. They were that good.) Wednesday night, a visiting German missionary, checking up on the health and welfare of his local missionaries, led us in an interesting discussion of Mark 2:1-12. He divided us into groups to look at the five different sets of people in the passage: the crowd, the four friends, the paralytic, the teachers of the law, and Jesus. We were to list what we found admirable and what we found disgraceful. On Saturday, the three Reinhard girls, Sheila, and I went on a beach adventure. We headed to Port Salute, about 45 minutes from Les Cayes. It’s a beautiful drive up over a mountain and down to the seashore. We didn’t know how it would be after all the hurricane damage. The beach itself was littered with a lot of natural debris, but the water was clear and refreshing. We ate our packed lunch on the roof of the truck in the shade. I got a little too toasty. I’ll pay for that this week!
I wasn’t 100% on Sunday morning, so I stayed home from church and listened to the two Bluffton Country services over the phone. I’m grateful to God for modern technology! It’s amazing that I can sit in my living room in Haiti and listen to my home church LIVE in Bluffton, IN. Whoever created that phone-in service deserves an extra jewel in their crown! Thank you.
I hope to actually unpack my stuff this week. I am waiting on my room to be painted first, and I didn’t want to put everything away, set up my bed, fill my bookcases, and lay my rug until the room itself had been freshened up. Sheila brought a grill and I packed an air chair; it might be time to make our porch an outdoor living space...with a tall table. If I see that spider again, I need something to leap on to and squeal like a little girl.
To those in Bluffton, enjoy Street Fair for me!! I'll be praying for your outreach lunch on Wednesday.
Many blessing to all!
http://picasaweb.google.com/aheartforhaiti/Sept2008II
This week, I finally managed to remember to take pictures of our weekly tea party. (I ate three oatmeal and raisin cookies. They were that good.) Wednesday night, a visiting German missionary, checking up on the health and welfare of his local missionaries, led us in an interesting discussion of Mark 2:1-12. He divided us into groups to look at the five different sets of people in the passage: the crowd, the four friends, the paralytic, the teachers of the law, and Jesus. We were to list what we found admirable and what we found disgraceful. On Saturday, the three Reinhard girls, Sheila, and I went on a beach adventure. We headed to Port Salute, about 45 minutes from Les Cayes. It’s a beautiful drive up over a mountain and down to the seashore. We didn’t know how it would be after all the hurricane damage. The beach itself was littered with a lot of natural debris, but the water was clear and refreshing. We ate our packed lunch on the roof of the truck in the shade. I got a little too toasty. I’ll pay for that this week!
I wasn’t 100% on Sunday morning, so I stayed home from church and listened to the two Bluffton Country services over the phone. I’m grateful to God for modern technology! It’s amazing that I can sit in my living room in Haiti and listen to my home church LIVE in Bluffton, IN. Whoever created that phone-in service deserves an extra jewel in their crown! Thank you.
I hope to actually unpack my stuff this week. I am waiting on my room to be painted first, and I didn’t want to put everything away, set up my bed, fill my bookcases, and lay my rug until the room itself had been freshened up. Sheila brought a grill and I packed an air chair; it might be time to make our porch an outdoor living space...with a tall table. If I see that spider again, I need something to leap on to and squeal like a little girl.
To those in Bluffton, enjoy Street Fair for me!! I'll be praying for your outreach lunch on Wednesday.
Many blessing to all!
http://picasaweb.google.com/aheartforhaiti/Sept2008II
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Sea Container Surprises
When I left you last week, I had just come off an amazing confirmation of God’s will and an uplifting worship service. Last Sunday night, we decided to go out to eat at a restaurant in Cayes called The Meridian. It’s actually a hotel with a restaurant inside. I made my little video that I posted last week while waiting for the Val to place our food order. When you dine out in Haiti, it takes a little more effort than just driving to the restaurant and ordering. It takes time, multiple phone calls, and a careful selection of locations. We had a wonderful time with good food and company…in the dark. At the Meridian, the generator for the dining room doesn’t start until seven. We were eating just a bit too early. Nevertheless, a lovely time was had by all!
Monday dawned clear and bright with the knowledge that our long overdue sea container had left Port-au-Prince and was headed toward Cayes! We would be unpacking it in the morning. Unfortunately, by Tuesday, tropical storm Hanna had swung a little too far south pushed by the winds of hurricane Gustav. It was absolutely pouring, and the water was coming up fast. In fact, Jan had gone into Cayes to help guide the sea container down our road and got trapped by the waters. Thankfully, he was able to pull his truck to higher ground where it would be safe. Stuck where he was, Jan enjoyed some Haitian hospitality on one of their front porches and watched the waters rise. Eventually, he abandoned his truck and walked back to the compound. Tuesday noon, we all piled in the vehicle with the highest clearance, Big Green, the construction truck they use for hauling lumber, cement, and people, and went out to look at the water. It was absolutely stunning. The Haitians were calling it a 100 year flood. I took a few videos of the devastation. We passed our sea container about 1.1 miles from our home where it sat beside the road waiting for the waters to go down.
It was still raining Tuesday afternoon, but lo and behold, the sea container pulled into the yard that evening! It took a great deal of effort from some very dedicated men, but there it was! It was decided to unload the container at eight the next morning, come rain or shine. Thankfully, it was sunny and HOT on Wednesday, and that sea container got unloaded. It was like a community party in the Gutwein’s yard! I counted ten trucks at one point, all loading up their precious cargo shipped across the sea. Fabric, beds, two four-wheelers (each a bright cherry red – one each for Sheila and I!!), bags of rice, a trailer, desks, boxes and boxes of household items, on and on and on. When it was finally empty, there were three boxes left with my name on them that I knew I hadn’t packed. I thought that they were probably for the Childcare office, but I wanted to make sure. It my utter astonishment and delight, my friends and family had packed wonderful care boxes. It was like Christmas! Actually, it was better than Christmas because it was a total shock. Thank you so much! I literally fell apart for a while and embarrassed myself in front of the Gutweins, but I was just undone by their kindness and love. Thanks again!
Thursday, I went back to work, the Reinhards made it back (praise the Lord), and the Gutweins said their final goodbyes. At 6:30 AM on Friday, we had breakfast with the Gutweins and then took them to the airport in Cayes. We waved until we couldn’t see the plane anymore. I’m going to miss them so much. Have a wonderful time in the States!!!
Sheila and I took some time on Friday night to make a market list out for our new house lady. Thanks to a local missionary who helped us translate, I think we’ve got a good system in place for fresh food. Here in Haiti, the missionaries always send their house ladies to go to market for them. They can get the best deals, know which stands carry the freshest produce, and recognize a fair price. We can go to the grocery stores where the items are mark with actual prices, but the market haggling is left to the professionals! Friday night, I was able to talk to some of my family and friends, and that lifted my spirits and encouraged my soul. I also encountered my first real Haitian spider. Check out the video.
I made Saturday a workday. In order to update some of the programs at the office, I needed to be alone and have them all to myself. I started at 9:45 in the morning, trying to download a new Quicken program. You know those little download boxes that give you an estimated time to complete the download? Well, I one point I glanced over and it was reading 15 hours and 35 minutes. Now, that’s a slow Internet connection! Thankfully, that first download only took 4 hours and not 15. Beth Newton, a missionary and nurse practitioner, stopped by on Saturday and invited us to visit the Torbeck church with her. Sunday, she picked us up in her own version of Old Green, and we worshipped together with Pastor Jonas and his congregation. A lady shared her recent conversion story from voodoo to Christianity, and I was deeply touched. Tim and Joan Reinhard stopped by for some conversation and cappuccino (compliments of my dear family) on Sunday evening, and I felt so uplifted after talking with them. Here is a family that has experienced a cross-cultural transition and lived to tell about it!
I’ve been in Haiti a month, and I can honestly say that it has been the hardest four weeks of my life. This transition is so huge and all encompassing – new culture, new language, new job, new roommate, new community, new worship styles, new food, new weather patterns to deal with, and a new appreciation of the spiritual warfare that is just beyond the skin of this world. I am fully convinced that it is through the power of your prayers that I can remain faithful. Thank you for praying and providing me with a protective shield. God bless!!
I did take pictures this week. Enjoy!
http://picasaweb.google.com/aheartforhaiti/Sept2008I
Monday dawned clear and bright with the knowledge that our long overdue sea container had left Port-au-Prince and was headed toward Cayes! We would be unpacking it in the morning. Unfortunately, by Tuesday, tropical storm Hanna had swung a little too far south pushed by the winds of hurricane Gustav. It was absolutely pouring, and the water was coming up fast. In fact, Jan had gone into Cayes to help guide the sea container down our road and got trapped by the waters. Thankfully, he was able to pull his truck to higher ground where it would be safe. Stuck where he was, Jan enjoyed some Haitian hospitality on one of their front porches and watched the waters rise. Eventually, he abandoned his truck and walked back to the compound. Tuesday noon, we all piled in the vehicle with the highest clearance, Big Green, the construction truck they use for hauling lumber, cement, and people, and went out to look at the water. It was absolutely stunning. The Haitians were calling it a 100 year flood. I took a few videos of the devastation. We passed our sea container about 1.1 miles from our home where it sat beside the road waiting for the waters to go down.
It was still raining Tuesday afternoon, but lo and behold, the sea container pulled into the yard that evening! It took a great deal of effort from some very dedicated men, but there it was! It was decided to unload the container at eight the next morning, come rain or shine. Thankfully, it was sunny and HOT on Wednesday, and that sea container got unloaded. It was like a community party in the Gutwein’s yard! I counted ten trucks at one point, all loading up their precious cargo shipped across the sea. Fabric, beds, two four-wheelers (each a bright cherry red – one each for Sheila and I!!), bags of rice, a trailer, desks, boxes and boxes of household items, on and on and on. When it was finally empty, there were three boxes left with my name on them that I knew I hadn’t packed. I thought that they were probably for the Childcare office, but I wanted to make sure. It my utter astonishment and delight, my friends and family had packed wonderful care boxes. It was like Christmas! Actually, it was better than Christmas because it was a total shock. Thank you so much! I literally fell apart for a while and embarrassed myself in front of the Gutweins, but I was just undone by their kindness and love. Thanks again!
Thursday, I went back to work, the Reinhards made it back (praise the Lord), and the Gutweins said their final goodbyes. At 6:30 AM on Friday, we had breakfast with the Gutweins and then took them to the airport in Cayes. We waved until we couldn’t see the plane anymore. I’m going to miss them so much. Have a wonderful time in the States!!!
Sheila and I took some time on Friday night to make a market list out for our new house lady. Thanks to a local missionary who helped us translate, I think we’ve got a good system in place for fresh food. Here in Haiti, the missionaries always send their house ladies to go to market for them. They can get the best deals, know which stands carry the freshest produce, and recognize a fair price. We can go to the grocery stores where the items are mark with actual prices, but the market haggling is left to the professionals! Friday night, I was able to talk to some of my family and friends, and that lifted my spirits and encouraged my soul. I also encountered my first real Haitian spider. Check out the video.
I made Saturday a workday. In order to update some of the programs at the office, I needed to be alone and have them all to myself. I started at 9:45 in the morning, trying to download a new Quicken program. You know those little download boxes that give you an estimated time to complete the download? Well, I one point I glanced over and it was reading 15 hours and 35 minutes. Now, that’s a slow Internet connection! Thankfully, that first download only took 4 hours and not 15. Beth Newton, a missionary and nurse practitioner, stopped by on Saturday and invited us to visit the Torbeck church with her. Sunday, she picked us up in her own version of Old Green, and we worshipped together with Pastor Jonas and his congregation. A lady shared her recent conversion story from voodoo to Christianity, and I was deeply touched. Tim and Joan Reinhard stopped by for some conversation and cappuccino (compliments of my dear family) on Sunday evening, and I felt so uplifted after talking with them. Here is a family that has experienced a cross-cultural transition and lived to tell about it!
I’ve been in Haiti a month, and I can honestly say that it has been the hardest four weeks of my life. This transition is so huge and all encompassing – new culture, new language, new job, new roommate, new community, new worship styles, new food, new weather patterns to deal with, and a new appreciation of the spiritual warfare that is just beyond the skin of this world. I am fully convinced that it is through the power of your prayers that I can remain faithful. Thank you for praying and providing me with a protective shield. God bless!!
I did take pictures this week. Enjoy!
http://picasaweb.google.com/aheartforhaiti/Sept2008I
Sunday, August 31, 2008
God's Graciousness and Gustav
Dear Family and Friends,
This has been an interesting week. You will be forced to endure my wordy descriptions because I took, like, three pictures the whole week. (Bad blogger, bad! I know.)
Last Sunday, I mentioned that there might be riots in Les Cayes due to increased tuition prices and food costs. There was some action in town on Monday that kept Marie Lucie and the pastors away from the office. I used the day clean out about ten years worth of accumulated stuff from my bathroom cupboards – old, yellow Band-Aids, a random ankle brace, gooey bottles of unidentifiable liquids, countless ant baits, expired medicines, and little (thank goodness) bug corpses. By Monday night, I was watching Tropical Storm Gustav pretty intensely. The National Hurricane Center was predicting that it would pummel Haiti by Tuesday afternoon, and Les Cayes appeared to be directly in his path.
In the meantime, I was fighting an ear infection. Now, I’ve never had a true ear infection. One time at Lake Webster, I fell off my skies and slammed my head into the water. Two days later, I had this raging earache. Turns out, a piece of duckweed got lodged in my ear and became infected. The ENT doctor thought that was pretty funny; I found it less than humorous. In any case, I now have a deep compassion for any child that gets ear infections all the time. I tried to treat it myself, but by Tuesday morning, I had given up. I’m not going to describe to you the amounts and colors of nastiness coming out of my ear that day, but I could do it with great deal of vividness and expression. Use your imagination...
So, Tuesday morning, Tess took me to the local clinic, not far from our house, where I saw the doctor and got some antibiotics. I must say, I was praising God for the invention of modern medicine. Even with some high doses, it still took me three days to feel better. In any case, I only worked about two hours that morning and then left to prepare our apartment for Gustav. We took everything off the porch, closed our hurricane shutters, and checked supplies. The sky looked threatening that afternoon and evening, but we had little wind or rain. The Gutwein girls and I watched The Sound of Music and ate popcorn. It was that kind of weather.
The rain started that night and continued for two days. Now, I didn’t know this remarkable tidbit until this week: Haitians treat rain like Hoosiers treat ice. Apparently, if you get wet down here, it’s going to be days before you dry out again, so no one goes out. Very few people showed up for work on Wednesday and Thursday because of the rain, even though we had very little wind. Marie Lucie and I were able to spend some dedicated time together without any interruptions! That was a blessing.
While God spared Cayes, other parts of Haiti were badly damaged. So far, 70+ people have died and some are still missing. Jan Gutwein explored some of the wreckage and said there are a lot of desperate people right now. Please pray for those who lost their loved ones, livelihoods, and homes.
Saturday, Sheila and I went to market with the excellent assistance of Mark Gutwein. Saturday night, we had a potluck supper with some of the other single missionary ladies. It was a great time to share stories and encouragement.
I’ll admit, I was homesick on Saturday and spending time with other Godly women who are living this life far more graciously than I am was refreshing and inspirational. I was questioning God on Saturday night asking Him if He was really sure I should be here or if this was just a terrible mistake. I opened to Acts 7 where I read, “Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee.” Well, that shut me up. Praise God for His patience with me, my whining and questioning and general fussiness. This is my life now, and I want to live it for His glory and in His name the absolute best that I can.
This morning’s service was a Spirit-filled message of restoration. You know, sometimes you don’t need to understand all the words to be fed and filled by His Spirit. Just being in the presence of Godly men and women who were praising His name in spirit and truth was enough to rejuvenate and restore my wayward spirit. Thanks for your continued prayers! They make all the difference in the world. Sorry about the lack of pictures this week; I did a video message instead to atone for my lack of photographic dedication.
Remember, the camera adds ten pounds. I love you all!! God bless.
This has been an interesting week. You will be forced to endure my wordy descriptions because I took, like, three pictures the whole week. (Bad blogger, bad! I know.)
Last Sunday, I mentioned that there might be riots in Les Cayes due to increased tuition prices and food costs. There was some action in town on Monday that kept Marie Lucie and the pastors away from the office. I used the day clean out about ten years worth of accumulated stuff from my bathroom cupboards – old, yellow Band-Aids, a random ankle brace, gooey bottles of unidentifiable liquids, countless ant baits, expired medicines, and little (thank goodness) bug corpses. By Monday night, I was watching Tropical Storm Gustav pretty intensely. The National Hurricane Center was predicting that it would pummel Haiti by Tuesday afternoon, and Les Cayes appeared to be directly in his path.
In the meantime, I was fighting an ear infection. Now, I’ve never had a true ear infection. One time at Lake Webster, I fell off my skies and slammed my head into the water. Two days later, I had this raging earache. Turns out, a piece of duckweed got lodged in my ear and became infected. The ENT doctor thought that was pretty funny; I found it less than humorous. In any case, I now have a deep compassion for any child that gets ear infections all the time. I tried to treat it myself, but by Tuesday morning, I had given up. I’m not going to describe to you the amounts and colors of nastiness coming out of my ear that day, but I could do it with great deal of vividness and expression. Use your imagination...
So, Tuesday morning, Tess took me to the local clinic, not far from our house, where I saw the doctor and got some antibiotics. I must say, I was praising God for the invention of modern medicine. Even with some high doses, it still took me three days to feel better. In any case, I only worked about two hours that morning and then left to prepare our apartment for Gustav. We took everything off the porch, closed our hurricane shutters, and checked supplies. The sky looked threatening that afternoon and evening, but we had little wind or rain. The Gutwein girls and I watched The Sound of Music and ate popcorn. It was that kind of weather.
The rain started that night and continued for two days. Now, I didn’t know this remarkable tidbit until this week: Haitians treat rain like Hoosiers treat ice. Apparently, if you get wet down here, it’s going to be days before you dry out again, so no one goes out. Very few people showed up for work on Wednesday and Thursday because of the rain, even though we had very little wind. Marie Lucie and I were able to spend some dedicated time together without any interruptions! That was a blessing.
While God spared Cayes, other parts of Haiti were badly damaged. So far, 70+ people have died and some are still missing. Jan Gutwein explored some of the wreckage and said there are a lot of desperate people right now. Please pray for those who lost their loved ones, livelihoods, and homes.
Saturday, Sheila and I went to market with the excellent assistance of Mark Gutwein. Saturday night, we had a potluck supper with some of the other single missionary ladies. It was a great time to share stories and encouragement.
I’ll admit, I was homesick on Saturday and spending time with other Godly women who are living this life far more graciously than I am was refreshing and inspirational. I was questioning God on Saturday night asking Him if He was really sure I should be here or if this was just a terrible mistake. I opened to Acts 7 where I read, “Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee.” Well, that shut me up. Praise God for His patience with me, my whining and questioning and general fussiness. This is my life now, and I want to live it for His glory and in His name the absolute best that I can.
This morning’s service was a Spirit-filled message of restoration. You know, sometimes you don’t need to understand all the words to be fed and filled by His Spirit. Just being in the presence of Godly men and women who were praising His name in spirit and truth was enough to rejuvenate and restore my wayward spirit. Thanks for your continued prayers! They make all the difference in the world. Sorry about the lack of pictures this week; I did a video message instead to atone for my lack of photographic dedication.
Remember, the camera adds ten pounds. I love you all!! God bless.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
How do you say...
This week, I officially started my new job at the Child Sponsorship office and began taking Creole lessons. I work with Marie Lucie, the director, John, the office coordinator, Pastor Amos, bookkeeping, and Pastor Jonas, computer data entry. Pastor LeFleur does counseling with the children when they come in for their monthly support, and Lucner translates their quarterly letters to the sponsors. Judging from this week, I think I’m going to enjoy my job! During the summer, the children do not come for support, so the staff works shorter hours and does administrative work. This week, we are gearing up for school beginning September 1. All the students will come in for their support and tuition fees. Unfortunately, the tuition for many of the schools has skyrocketed over the summer and parents are very concerned about the rising cost of education. Combined with the increase in food prices, it seems like the situation is getting tense. There has been talk of demonstrations starting tomorrow. I’ll keep you all updated on the situation.
Tuesday was my first lady’s tea. It’s a tradition that the missionary women get together on Tuesdays to chat, reconnect, drink tea, and have a little treat. It’s like a meeting of the United Nations. There’s the German contingency with some French, the Americans, and everybody’s speaking Creole. Being me, I knocked over a full glass of juice in the first five seconds. After sitting in the German/French section for a while, I moved down the table to the American conversation where someone asked me, “What did you sacrifice to come down here?” I said ten words about my family, promptly burst into tears, and had to excuse myself in shame. When will I learn to behave? Thankfully, they seem like Godly, forgiving women, and they will probably let me come to tea again this week.
Wednesday was my second session of missionary church, and I was so engrossed in the message on worship that I forgot to take pictures. I’ll make sure to document that next week. On Thursday, we had an unusual occurrence at Child Sponsorship. For the first time in ten years, Marie Lucie locked all the keys in the office. Let’s just say this: we can now be sure that the office is very secure. It took a big generator, a blowtorch, two men, and an hour to help us break into our own office!
Friday, John and I went to the village of Triverny. We had some new children entering the program, and we went to take pictures, do case histories, and help them write their first sponsor letters. It was a beautiful area, and the children were sweet and helpful. I spent the day Saturday just reading, playing games with the Gutweins, trying my hand in the neighborhood volleyball merriment, and enjoying the time of rest.
Today was a great day! The Gutweins attend the MEBSH church at Bambou, and Sheila and I tagged along for the day. The singing was very uplifting, and I was impressed by the quality and enthusiasm of the church congregation. Jan was able to translate some of the message for me. After church, we went into town for extra supplies, just in case the roads are blocked tomorrow. It’s always good to be prepared! After a little Sunday afternoon laziness, Sheila and I accepted a very nice invitation for German coffee issued by two single missionary ladies, Suzanne and Beth. We had pumpkin cake and some other delicious cake-like-thing made of chocolate, marshmallows, and Coke. I had a truly excellent time discussing the Haitian culture, jobs, families, and friends. It was a great way to end to week and begin a new one.
I’m not sure what tomorrow will bring, but I am sure that it is in God’s hands. If anything, this week has taught me about how my life will probably be in Haiti – unpredictable! Please pray that this week will pass peacefully as the Haitians prepare to start school and a huge thanks to everyone who wrote an encouraging message or said a prayer on my behalf for this past week. I very much enjoyed reading the comments you left for me and hope you will continue to do so.
Enjoy my pictures from Haiti this week. I love you all!
http://picasaweb.google.com/aheartforhaiti/August2008II
In His service,
Abby
Tuesday was my first lady’s tea. It’s a tradition that the missionary women get together on Tuesdays to chat, reconnect, drink tea, and have a little treat. It’s like a meeting of the United Nations. There’s the German contingency with some French, the Americans, and everybody’s speaking Creole. Being me, I knocked over a full glass of juice in the first five seconds. After sitting in the German/French section for a while, I moved down the table to the American conversation where someone asked me, “What did you sacrifice to come down here?” I said ten words about my family, promptly burst into tears, and had to excuse myself in shame. When will I learn to behave? Thankfully, they seem like Godly, forgiving women, and they will probably let me come to tea again this week.
Wednesday was my second session of missionary church, and I was so engrossed in the message on worship that I forgot to take pictures. I’ll make sure to document that next week. On Thursday, we had an unusual occurrence at Child Sponsorship. For the first time in ten years, Marie Lucie locked all the keys in the office. Let’s just say this: we can now be sure that the office is very secure. It took a big generator, a blowtorch, two men, and an hour to help us break into our own office!
Friday, John and I went to the village of Triverny. We had some new children entering the program, and we went to take pictures, do case histories, and help them write their first sponsor letters. It was a beautiful area, and the children were sweet and helpful. I spent the day Saturday just reading, playing games with the Gutweins, trying my hand in the neighborhood volleyball merriment, and enjoying the time of rest.
Today was a great day! The Gutweins attend the MEBSH church at Bambou, and Sheila and I tagged along for the day. The singing was very uplifting, and I was impressed by the quality and enthusiasm of the church congregation. Jan was able to translate some of the message for me. After church, we went into town for extra supplies, just in case the roads are blocked tomorrow. It’s always good to be prepared! After a little Sunday afternoon laziness, Sheila and I accepted a very nice invitation for German coffee issued by two single missionary ladies, Suzanne and Beth. We had pumpkin cake and some other delicious cake-like-thing made of chocolate, marshmallows, and Coke. I had a truly excellent time discussing the Haitian culture, jobs, families, and friends. It was a great way to end to week and begin a new one.
I’m not sure what tomorrow will bring, but I am sure that it is in God’s hands. If anything, this week has taught me about how my life will probably be in Haiti – unpredictable! Please pray that this week will pass peacefully as the Haitians prepare to start school and a huge thanks to everyone who wrote an encouraging message or said a prayer on my behalf for this past week. I very much enjoyed reading the comments you left for me and hope you will continue to do so.
Enjoy my pictures from Haiti this week. I love you all!
http://picasaweb.google.com/aheartforhaiti/August2008II
In His service,
Abby
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Greetings from Haiti!
Bonjour, family and friends! Greetings in Christ from Haiti.
It’s been a week of firsts – going to market, exchanging money, visiting my new co-workers and neighbors, going to missionary church, seeing the LSM home in Torbeck, navigating Les Cayes and Simon, buying flour and phone cards, riding as a passenger on a motorbike to look at Haitian cell phones, surviving my first tropical storm (Fay), paying Derek to remove two toads from the inside of my window, organizing the house, eating strange fruit, and learning to love a good, cold shower. And those are just the highlights.
Two main thoughts have been circling in my mind for the last two days. (1) God is God. He is faithful and good. (2) Praise God for the Gutweins and Sheila! Seriously. I would be totally lost without them. Jan gave Sheila a driving lesson, and Val has fed us multiple times while we adjust to life here and wait for our house lady to start tomorrow. Tess and Alisha baked us cinnamon bread and pizza. Mark and Derek keep us cool by letting us use their pool and Joel keeps everyone on their toes. Brett has shown me the true meaning of contentment. Sheila comforted my heart when I was low and fought Satan for me in prayer during a spiritual attack. They have uplifted my spirit, fed my soul with wisdom, and kept me sane during my first few days of homesickness and sadness. They truly represent the servant heart of Christ.
I’m starting work tomorrow at the Child Sponsorship office and beginning my Creole lessons with Jean-Claude, an instructor that the Gutweins have used. I’m looking forward to another week of firsts. I’ll try to post a new entry every Sunday with pictures and stories from the week. Thanks for your prayers and God bless.
Here are my first five days in pictures. I hope the captions are helpful!
http://picasaweb.google.com/aheartforhaiti/August2008
It’s been a week of firsts – going to market, exchanging money, visiting my new co-workers and neighbors, going to missionary church, seeing the LSM home in Torbeck, navigating Les Cayes and Simon, buying flour and phone cards, riding as a passenger on a motorbike to look at Haitian cell phones, surviving my first tropical storm (Fay), paying Derek to remove two toads from the inside of my window, organizing the house, eating strange fruit, and learning to love a good, cold shower. And those are just the highlights.
Two main thoughts have been circling in my mind for the last two days. (1) God is God. He is faithful and good. (2) Praise God for the Gutweins and Sheila! Seriously. I would be totally lost without them. Jan gave Sheila a driving lesson, and Val has fed us multiple times while we adjust to life here and wait for our house lady to start tomorrow. Tess and Alisha baked us cinnamon bread and pizza. Mark and Derek keep us cool by letting us use their pool and Joel keeps everyone on their toes. Brett has shown me the true meaning of contentment. Sheila comforted my heart when I was low and fought Satan for me in prayer during a spiritual attack. They have uplifted my spirit, fed my soul with wisdom, and kept me sane during my first few days of homesickness and sadness. They truly represent the servant heart of Christ.
I’m starting work tomorrow at the Child Sponsorship office and beginning my Creole lessons with Jean-Claude, an instructor that the Gutweins have used. I’m looking forward to another week of firsts. I’ll try to post a new entry every Sunday with pictures and stories from the week. Thanks for your prayers and God bless.
Here are my first five days in pictures. I hope the captions are helpful!
http://picasaweb.google.com/aheartforhaiti/August2008
Monday, August 4, 2008
Summer Fun 2008
My summer is almost over. I'm leaving for Haiti in eight days. I took some time to reflect on my summer of 2008.
I attended Mission Training International for three weeks in May, cried at my Grandpa's funeral in June, grilled and gamed with family and friends on July 4th, celebrated my 29th birthday with a Haitian hut cake, visited Sauder Village with my Habegger cousins, laughed through a zoo outing, toasted my friends at Flanagan's, swam, skied, sunbathed, and stuffed myself at Lake Webster, and met the Child Sponsorship Committee in Morton.
And now, I'm looking at my final Sunday in the Bluffton Country Church August 10. It looks sad and scary and really big. But, I'm also excited and willing and uplifted. God is ever faithful!
Enjoy my summer pictures at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/aheartforhaiti/Summer200802
Look for my next blog to be from Haiti! See you on the flip side...
I attended Mission Training International for three weeks in May, cried at my Grandpa's funeral in June, grilled and gamed with family and friends on July 4th, celebrated my 29th birthday with a Haitian hut cake, visited Sauder Village with my Habegger cousins, laughed through a zoo outing, toasted my friends at Flanagan's, swam, skied, sunbathed, and stuffed myself at Lake Webster, and met the Child Sponsorship Committee in Morton.
And now, I'm looking at my final Sunday in the Bluffton Country Church August 10. It looks sad and scary and really big. But, I'm also excited and willing and uplifted. God is ever faithful!
Enjoy my summer pictures at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/aheartforhaiti/Summer200802
Look for my next blog to be from Haiti! See you on the flip side...
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